In short… Yes, Long Drive is Golf.
The longer answer is that the meaning of the word “Golf” has evolved over the years.
Golf as a noun traditionally refers to a game played on a large open-air course, in which a small hard ball is struck with a club into a series of small holes in the ground, the object being to use the fewest possible strokes to complete the course.
Golf can also be used as a verb… You can go golfing.
And Golf also refers to the sport as a category.
The category of golf includes various forms of competition born from the game of golf, using approved golf equipment.
Miniature Golf, also known as mini golf, putt-putt, and crazy golf, is a form of golf played with just a ball and putter. Miniature golf can be played indoors or outside and frequently includes obstacles ranging from simple corners to elaborate contraptions.
Long Drive fits into the category of golf as a competition to see how far one can hit a ball. All equipment used in Long Drive is required to conform to the official rules of the game of golf. Competitors get a set number of chances to hit a ball as far as possible. The ball must land in the grid and stay in the grid to count.
Recent years have also given rise to numerous driving range games popularized by event spaces like Topgolf. These games mostly center around hitting specific targets spread throughout the driving range.
There are many other golf related games, like disc golf or footgolf, that require specific equipment not used in the game of golf. While these games have found inspiration in the game of golf, they are not generally considered to be in the same category as golf.